CHAPTER FOURTEEN: ATTEMPTED POISON
"Tani, we have come a long way to let our anger take the better part of us". Chila calmed her sister, who reasoned with her after several teeth gritting.
"Chila, I sensed the smell of humans". Tani informed Chila. "I have to go before I get caught". With that, Tani disappeared into the thin air.
A faint smile made its way to Chila's face as she watched her sister disappear.
"Chila?" Taliyah called out as she walked up to Chila, who was sitting by the edge of the water cliff. "What are you doing here instead of staying in your chamber?" She asked furthermore.
"I just came here to clear my head off". Chila said calmly with her rainbow eyes glued to the beautiful blue surface of the water.
"Aren't you supposed to be with your daughter?" She asked, as she found it strange. Lady Chila she knew would never take a day away from her chamber, prince Dryan chamber or her daughter's chamber. "Is something wrong?" She asked after waiting without response.
"Oh. I am sorry. I got carried away". Chila lied as she tried all her possible best to avoid further questions, which Taliyah is good at. 'She has started with tons of questions again'.
"I just asked why you are not with your daughter?" Taliyah repeated her questions with her eyes piercing into that of Chila.
"Oh, my girl". Chila immediately stood up, and walked away. She knew if she continued, she would only implicate herself.
"Dryan has changed everyone". Taliyah lets out a deep breath as she plays with her pretty long hands.
To her, this place is more than a place for relaxation. It is a place where she met her first love, and the place which she always sees as her home. "Time flew quickly. So, it's already been eight years?" She asked herself as she threw stones into the river, which created a sound wave.
"Mel, I wish we will get married and live happily as we wished. Life in the palace is a burning furnace. Everyone wants to burn just to keep their head intact. Taliyah has to be a cruel, cold lady to her brother's wives, and a tool used by her mother, and brother". She paused, and stared at the sky, which was already clouding. Tears streamed down from her eyes as the memories of how they played under the moonlight, and dark night flooded into her mind. "I missed those nights a lot".
"My lady, Physician Koi sent this to you". A maid informed her.
She immediately stood up after cleaning her eyes to avoid anyone from noticing she cried. "Okay".
~~~~
"Physician Koi, what is the problem?" She asked the chief minister, who held a poison test, and a cup of tea in his both hands.
The poison tester is rarely brought out, except there is need for one. 'Is there a poison attempt?' that the question that came across her mind as she stared at the poison tester, then at the cup of tea, and her father.
"The king was poisoned". His words made her eyes roll as her mouth went agape with many questions going on in her head.
"Who is the maid who served the king?" Her golden eyes immediately turned darker with her gaze glued on her already pale-looking father.
"My lady, this isn't time for you to ask questions. The king—"
"The king took the tea?" She interrupted the man, who nodded his head.
He is afraid of informing the queen, and the crown prince since he suspected their moves, but can he kill his father? Trade his father's life just to attain the throne? "Yes. The poison isn't like those common types you can get in the castle or the kingdom". He paused.
"Koi, I did not have time for your short talks. Just tell me what I needed to know!" She yelled at Koi who swallowed the lumps around his throat before he continued.
"It can be found only in Madid kingdom. It kills gradually. It destroys the heart before damaging the rest organs".
"Isn't that Princess Luciana? Aren't Madid calling war? Isn't the killer obvious?" She asked as she stared at Koi who was already wet in fear.
The fear of getting killed for not taking proper care of the king. "It is all my fault for not taking good care of the king, but please don't judge without investigating properly". Every word he uttered came out from his lips in the form of a shiver.
"Investigation isn't my problem right now! My problem is getting my father cured!" She uttered with her voice raised as her vein almost pooped out.
To Taliyah, her father is the reason she kept staying in the palace. What will she do without the man who smiled at her like he was created for that? What will she do if the man she relies on is gone? What will she do if the person who always made her see herself as a princess, and feel relaxed in the palace, is no more? "Why will everyone want to leave me?"
"He was spoon-fed too much of the tea, and I'm afraid his Majesty won't be able to make it. The worst of it is that he is still unconscious, and the probability of him waking up is next to impossible".
More tears streamed from her eyes as she stared at her father, then at Koi. "Where is the maid?" She asked.
"My lady, only the crown prince is entitled to investigate the royale matters". Taliyah ignored his words as her hand trailed his neck. "If you do not tell me which prison she was kept in, I will strangle you to death, and kill your pregnant wife and only son".
"Sh… She is in the Arr prison". He stuttered hastily to avoid being choked to death.
Taliyah released her hand from his neck before whispering some words into his ear. "If anyone knows I will investigate this, you will be nothing good as dead!"
"Yes. I…" Taliyah did not wait for a response from him before storming out of the king's chamber with only one question echoing in her head. "Who wants your father dead?"